Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Get medical attention
• Part 2 of 2: Preventing jaundice

Jaundice, also called jaundice, is a common condition in babies, but it can also occur in adults. You get jaundice when there is a high bilirubin level. Bilirubin is a chemical found in the bile in your liver. Jaundice turns your skin, the whites of your eyes and your mucous membranes yellow. This is not necessarily a dangerous condition, but jaundice can be a sign of an underlying condition that needs to be treated.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Get medical attention

1. See your doctor. See your doctor as soon as possible if you or your child have any signs or symptoms of jaundice. Your jaundice may not need to be treated by a doctor, but if your jaundice is caused by an underlying condition, then that condition should be treated medically. Some of the symptoms of short-term jaundice in adults include:
   • Fever
   • Chills
   • Stomach ache
   • Other flu-like symptoms
   • Your skin and whites of the eyes get a yellow color
2. Have a child or baby with jaundice treated by a doctor. Children and babies can also get jaundice. Jaundice is common in babies and usually resolves on its own within two weeks. However, severe jaundice can cause serious complications in some babies.
   • Check if your child or baby has a yellowish complexion and if the whites of the eyes have turned a yellowish color. If this is the case, then it is jaundice.
   • Call the doctor immediately if your child or baby has jaundice.
3. Get a definitive diagnosis. In adults, jaundice is often caused by underlying conditions that must be treated. Your doctor can conduct tests to determine which conditions are causing your jaundice and develop a treatment plan based on that. You may need to have a blood test, an ultrasound, a CT scan, or even a liver biopsy to find the cause of your jaundice. Common conditions that can cause jaundice include:
   • Hepatitis A.
   • Chronic hepatitis B and C.
   • Glandular fever, or mononucleosis
   • Excessive use of alcohol
   • Autoimmune or hereditary conditions
   • Gallstones
   • Gallbladder inflammation
   • Gallbladder cancer
   • Pancreatitis
   • Certain medications such as acetaminophen, penicillin, oral contraceptives and steroids can also cause jaundice.
   • Your doctor can diagnose jaundice by looking for signs of liver disease, such as bruising, spider nevi, and palmar plantar erythema. He or she may also perform a urinalysis and see if bilirubin is present. In addition, your doctor can order scans or a liver biopsy to make a definitive diagnosis.
4. Treat underlying conditions. If your doctor finds out that you have an underlying condition that is causing your jaundice, he or she will likely treat that condition to see if other related health problems go away. Treating causes and complications of underlying conditions can help cure your jaundice.
5. Let the jaundice heal on its own. In most cases, the jaundice will simply go away without treatment. Talk to your doctor to make sure that not treating the condition is the best option for you, especially if your jaundice is caused by an underlying condition.
6. Use anti-itch medications. Some people with jaundice get itchy. If the itching becomes bothersome or interferes with your daily life, use a medicine like cholestyramine to relieve symptoms.
   • Colestyramine controls the amount of cholesterol in the liver.
   • Side effects of this drug include abdominal pain, dyspepsia, nausea, flatulence, and constipation.
7. Get your baby treated. Jaundice is very common in babies and often does not require treatment, just as it is not necessary in adults with jaundice. However, if your doctor determines that your baby has jaundice, he or she can perform the following treatments to reduce the symptoms:
   • Light therapy, which uses light to cause your baby to excrete excess bilirubin.
   • To give immunoglobulin intravenously to reduce the amount of antibodies that cause jaundice.
   • An exchange transfusion, which is a type of blood transfusion in which small amounts of blood are drawn and the bilirubin is diluted. Exchange transfusions are only performed on babies with severe jaundice.

Part 2 of 2: Preventing jaundice

1. Avoid hepatitis infections. One of the main causes of jaundice in adults is infection with the hepatitis virus. By preventing you from coming into contact with the virus as much as possible, you not only reduce the risk of a hepatitis infection, but also of getting jaundice.
   • You can prevent hepatitis A by getting vaccinated. Anyone can get vaccinated against this.
   • Hepatitis A is spread when a person has very small amounts of stool, usually from eating contaminated food. When traveling, you should be careful not to eat foods that have not been properly cleaned and cooked.
   • You can also prevent hepatitis B by getting vaccinated. Newborns, children and adults can be vaccinated against this.
   • There is no vaccine against hepatitis C.
   • Hepatitis B and C are spread through the blood and body fluids of an infected person, but it does not happen through superficial contact. Never use needles more than once, be it a tattoo needle or a needle for injecting drugs. In this way you can help prevent the spread of these viruses.
2. Do not drink more alcohol than is recommended. Your liver processes alcohol and is where jaundice occurs, so you should therefore not drink more alcohol daily than recommended. Not only can you relieve the symptoms of jaundice, but you can also prevent liver diseases caused by alcohol consumption, such as liver cirrhosis.
   • Women are advised not to drink more than 2 to 3 standard glasses of alcohol daily. For men, this is 3 to 4 standard glasses of alcohol.
   • For example, a bottle of wine contains 9 to 10 standard glasses of alcohol.
3. Continue to maintain a healthy weight. By continuing to maintain a healthy and stable weight, you can promote your overall health. You can also keep your liver healthy this way and thus prevent jaundice.
   • Keeping your weight on is easy if you eat healthy and balanced meals at regular times. Nutrient-rich foods that contain moderate amounts of fats and complex carbohydrates are best for promoting your overall health.
   • Don't take in more than 1,800 to 2,200 calories daily, depending on how much you exercise. Get your calories in by eating whole, nutrient-dense foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins.
   • Exercise is important to maintain weight and improve your overall health.
   • Do moderately intensive cardio exercises daily that do not put a lot of strain on your body. Try to exercise or exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days.
4. Keep your cholesterol levels under control. Keeping your cholesterol levels under control can not only help prevent jaundice, but it can also help you stay healthy. You can control your cholesterol levels by eating a healthy diet and exercising, or in other cases by taking prescription medications.
   • Eating more soluble fiber, healthy fats and foods high in omega 3 fatty acids can help control your cholesterol levels. Foods such as lean cuts of meat, low-fat dairy products, olive oil, salmon, almonds, oat flakes, lentils and vegetables contain these three nutrients.
   • Stop eating trans fats or eat less of them. Trans fats increase your bad cholesterol, or your LDL cholesterol. Eating less or no fried foods, as well as store-bought products such as pastries, cookies, and crackers, can help control your cholesterol.
   • Exercising for 30 minutes a day can help increase your good cholesterol, or your HDL cholesterol.
   • There is some evidence that quitting smoking increases your HDL cholesterol.
5. Make sure your baby gets enough to eat. You need to make sure that your baby gets enough to eat during the day. This is the best way to prevent jaundice in babies.
6. Make sure to feed your baby 8 to 12 times a day during the first week of his or her life if you are breastfeeding.
   • If you are bottle-feeding your baby, you will need to bottle-feed your child every two to three hours during the first week of his or her life.